Peking Union Medical College(PUMC)launched the"4+4"Medical Doctor(MD)pilot program in 2018,admitting students with non-medical backgrounds from top universities,aligning with national medical talent training...Peking Union Medical College(PUMC)launched the"4+4"Medical Doctor(MD)pilot program in 2018,admitting students with non-medical backgrounds from top universities,aligning with national medical talent training policies to foster diverse and eager learners in medicine.On the occasion of the graduation of the first class of the"4+4"MD pilot class at PUMC in 2023,we reviewed the teaching reform in the pilot program and carried out a systematic survey and interviews with students,faculties,and management staff of the pilot class.This article reports on the measures taken by the pilot class at PUMC in enrollment and curriculum setting,and demonstrates the achievements of the pilot class in terms of student academic background structure,knowledge acquisition and skill learning,scientific research ability,and course evaluation.The results indicated that the pilot class had met the national demand for the"Medicine+X"talent training model.More specifically,with a diverse academic backgrounds,the pilot class graduates had academic levels comparable to the eight-year medical education graduates,and their scientific research abilities were satisfactory.The pilot program at PUMC will optimize the curriculum setting,strengthen the construction of faculty,learning resources,and teaching facilities,and reform the academic evaluation methods,thus deepening the reform of medical education and improving the"4+4"MD program as a novel medical education model.展开更多
BACKGROUND We report a rare case of cervical spinal canal penetrating trauma and review the relevant literatures.CASE SUMMARY A 58-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department with a steel bar penetr...BACKGROUND We report a rare case of cervical spinal canal penetrating trauma and review the relevant literatures.CASE SUMMARY A 58-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department with a steel bar penetrating the neck,without signs of neurological deficit.Computed tomography(CT)demonstrated that the steel bar had penetrated the cervical spinal canal at the C6–7 level,causing C6 and C7 vertebral body fracture,C6 left lamina fracture,left facet joint fracture,and penetration of the cervical spinal cord.The steel bar was successfully removed through an open surgical procedure by a multidisciplinary team.During the surgery,we found that the cervical vertebra,cervical spinal canal and cervical spinal cord were all severely injured.Postoperative CT demonstrated severe penetration of the cervical spinal canal but the patient returned to a fully functional level without any neurological deficits.CONCLUSION Even with a serious cervical spinal canal penetrating trauma,the patient could resume normal work and life after appropriate treatment.展开更多
BACKGROUND Adolescent major depressive disorder(MDD)is a significant mental health concern that often leads to recurrent depression in adulthood.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)offers uniqu...BACKGROUND Adolescent major depressive disorder(MDD)is a significant mental health concern that often leads to recurrent depression in adulthood.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)offers unique insights into the neural mechanisms underlying this condition.However,despite previous research,the specific vulnerable brain regions affected in adolescent MDD patients have not been fully elucidated.AIM To identify consistent vulnerable brain regions in adolescent MDD patients using rs-fMRI and activation likelihood estimation(ALE)meta-analysis.METHODS We performed a comprehensive literature search through July 12,2023,for studies investigating brain functional changes in adolescent MDD patients.We utilized regional homogeneity(ReHo),amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations(ALFF)and fractional ALFF(fALFF)analyses.We compared the regions of aberrant spontaneous neural activity in adolescents with MDD vs healthy controls(HCs)using ALE.RESULTS Ten studies(369 adolescent MDD patients and 313 HCs)were included.Combining the ReHo and ALFF/fALFF data,the results revealed that the activity in the right cuneus and left precuneus was lower in the adolescent MDD patients than in the HCs(voxel size:648 mm3,P<0.05),and no brain region exhibited increased activity.Based on the ALFF data,we found decreased activity in the right cuneus and left precuneus in adolescent MDD patients(voxel size:736 mm3,P<0.05),with no regions exhibiting increased activity.CONCLUSION Through ALE meta-analysis,we consistently identified the right cuneus and left precuneus as vulnerable brain regions in adolescent MDD patients,increasing our understanding of the neuropathology of affected adolescents.展开更多
BACKGROUND Sleep deprivation is a prevalent issue that impacts cognitive function.Although numerous neuroimaging studies have explored the neural correlates of sleep loss,inconsistencies persist in the reported result...BACKGROUND Sleep deprivation is a prevalent issue that impacts cognitive function.Although numerous neuroimaging studies have explored the neural correlates of sleep loss,inconsistencies persist in the reported results,necessitating an investigation into the consistent brain functional changes resulting from sleep loss.AIM To establish the consistency of brain functional alterations associated with sleep deprivation through systematic searches of neuroimaging databases.Two metaanalytic methods,signed differential mapping(SDM)and activation likelihood estimation(ALE),were employed to analyze functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)data.METHODS A systematic search performed according to PRISMA guidelines was conducted across multiple databases through July 29,2023.Studies that met specific inclusion criteria,focused on healthy subjects with acute sleep deprivation and reported whole-brain functional data in English were considered.A total of 21 studies were selected for SDM and ALE meta-analyses.RESULTS Twenty-one studies,including 23 experiments and 498 subjects,were included.Compared to pre-sleep deprivation,post-sleep deprivation brain function was associated with increased gray matter in the right corpus callosum and decreased activity in the left medial frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule.SDM revealed increased brain functional activity in the left striatum and right central posterior gyrus and decreased activity in the right cerebellar gyrus,left middle frontal gyrus,corpus callosum,and right cuneus.CONCLUSION This meta-analysis consistently identified brain regions affected by sleep deprivation,notably the left medial frontal gyrus and corpus callosum,shedding light on the neuropathology of sleep deprivation and offering insights into its neurological impact.展开更多
Purpose:This study aims to investigate whether Ganoderma lucidum spore oil(GLSO)could enhance the effect of paclitaxel(PTX),improve the tolerance to PTX and prolong the overall survival of Lewis tumor-bearing mice,whi...Purpose:This study aims to investigate whether Ganoderma lucidum spore oil(GLSO)could enhance the effect of paclitaxel(PTX),improve the tolerance to PTX and prolong the overall survival of Lewis tumor-bearing mice,which has never been reported before.Methods:The tumor,spleen,and thymus were weighed at the end of the experiment.Whole blood was collected for hematological index analysis,and the intact femur was removed to determine the bone marrow nucleated cell count(BMN).The percentage of lymphocytes in the spleen of mice was detected by flow cytometry,the activity of NK cells was detected by LDH assay,and the proliferation index of lymphocytes was determined by CCK-8 assay.The overall and mean survival time and life extension rate were calculated using SPSS software.Results:Our data showed that GLSO could enhance the anti-tumor effect of PTX and prolong the survival of mice.The underlying mechanisms of the above effects might be related to the toxic reduction effect of GLSO by relieving hematotoxicity,myelosuppression and immunosuppression.Specifically,GLSO could increase the number of blood cells and bone marrow cells,alleviate the thymic index,and elevate the number and activity of NK cells in mice treated with PTX.Conclusion:GLSO may enhance the efficacy of PTX by boosting the activity of immune NK cells and prolong survival by counteracting PTX-induced bone marrow alterations and improving hematopoiesis.These findings suggested the promising role of GLSO in combination with PTX to extend the survival and increase the tolerance of patients in clinical chemotherapy of lung cancer.展开更多
Cellular mechanotransduction characterized by the transformation of mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals,represents a pivotal and complex process underpinning a multitude of cellular functionalities.This proces...Cellular mechanotransduction characterized by the transformation of mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals,represents a pivotal and complex process underpinning a multitude of cellular functionalities.This process is integral to diverse biological phenomena,including embryonic development,cell migration,tissue regeneration,and disease pathology,particularly in the context of cancer metastasis and cardiovascular diseases.Despite the profound biological and clinical significance of mechanotransduction,our understanding of this complex process remains incomplete.The recent development of advanced optical techniques enables in-situ force measurement and subcellular manipulation from the outer cell membrane to the organelles inside a cell.In this review,we delved into the current state-of-the-art techniques utilized to probe cellular mechanobiology,their principles,applications,and limitations.We mainly examined optical methodologies to quantitatively measure the mechanical properties of cells during intracellular transport,cell adhesion,and migration.We provided an introductory overview of various conventional and optical-based techniques for probing cellular mechanics.These techniques have provided into the dynamics of mechanobiology,their potential to unravel mechanistic intricacies and implications for therapeutic intervention.展开更多
In this study, concentrations of tritiated water(HTO) and non-exchangeable organically bound tritium(NE-OBT) and the NE-OBT/HTO ratios were determined in soil around Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant(NPP), Zhejiang, China, ...In this study, concentrations of tritiated water(HTO) and non-exchangeable organically bound tritium(NE-OBT) and the NE-OBT/HTO ratios were determined in soil around Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant(NPP), Zhejiang, China, and their vertical profile and spatial distribution were investigated. Results showed variations in both the HTO and NE-OBT concentrations in the vertical profile. The HTO concentrations generally decreased firstly and then increased with the increasing depths, but the trend was not significant. The NE-OBT concentrations in the surface soils(0–5 cm) were considerably lower than those in the deep soils(5–25 cm) at all the sites. The NE-OBT/HTO ratios also show a variable vertical profile, initially increasing and then decreasing with increasing soil depth.Both the HTO and NE-OBT concentrations decreased with the increasing distance to the HWRs in deep soil layers(5–25 cm), revealing that the released tritium from the NPP affected the spatial distribution.展开更多
Background:The study was conducted with the interest of exploring the effects of Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill as anti-inflammatory agent in gout treatment based on the NLRP3/GSDMD coke death pathway.Methods:In this stud...Background:The study was conducted with the interest of exploring the effects of Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill as anti-inflammatory agent in gout treatment based on the NLRP3/GSDMD coke death pathway.Methods:In this study,48 male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups,namely model group,blank control group(BC),Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill low-dose treatment group(MSD1),medium-dose treatment group(MSD2),high-dose treatment group(MSD3),and colchicine group(PC),with eight members in each group.The BC and model groups were administered with saline twice a day.The MSD1,MSD2,and MSD3 groups were administered with Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill at a dose of 1.8 g·kg^?1,3.6 g·kg^?1,and 7.2 g·kg^?1 twice a day.The colchicine group was administered with a colchicine suspension at a dose of 0.6×10^?3 g kg^?1 twice a day for 7 days.After gavage of animals in each group for 4 days,the rats'ankle joints were injected with sodium urate suspension×3 days to induce a gouty arthritis model.Then,serum and tissue samples were collected on the third and seventh day after gavage.The synovial tissue from the rat ankle joints was taken,and immunohistochemical technique was used to detect NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),inflammatory bodies,cysteine protease-1(Caspase-1),and Gasdermin-D protein(GSDMD)expression.Image-Pro Plus image analysis system was used to measure the average integrated absorbance and calculate IHS.Integral enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the interleukin 1β(IL-1β)and interleukin 18(IL-18)expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α).Western blot was used to detect NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC)expression levels.Results:After 48 hours of modeling,compared with the PC group,the arthritis indices of the MSD1,MSD2,and MSD3 groups were insignificant(P>0.05).The levels of IL-1β,IL-18,and TNF-αwere lower in the PC and MSD2 groups compared with the BC group.However,compared with the control group,MSD1,MSD2,and PC groups had lower levels of IL-1βand IL-18.Regarding TNF-αlevels(P<0.05);compared with the PC group,the levels of IL-1β,IL-18,and TNF-αin MSD2 decreased more significantly(P<0.05).The levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC,IHS score,and mRNA were lower in the PC and MSD2 groups(P<0.05)compared with the control group.The MSD1 and MSD2 groups had lower levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC protein levels,IHS points,and mRNA levels(P<0.05)compared with the PC group.Moreover,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC protein levels,IHS points,and mRNA levels were more reduced in the MSD2 group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill can inhibit the activation of the NLPR3 inflammatory complex,reduce the production of GSDMD protein,regulate the occurrence of pyroptosis,reduce the expression of inflammatory factors,and thus reduce arthritis.All these processes are achieved through the NLRP3/GSDMD pathway.展开更多
Goal: The purpose of this research is to analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of critical care patients with phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) caused by deep vein thrombosis. Our goa...Goal: The purpose of this research is to analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of critical care patients with phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) caused by deep vein thrombosis. Our goal is to improve both awareness and early diagnosis and treatment of rare clinical diseases. Furthermore, we aim to examine advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis. Method: The clinical information of patients with PCD received in 2022 was subject to retrospective analysis. The author conducted a search of 191 publications with a focus on PCD, from January 2010 to July 2022, from databases such as the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, PubMed, etc. The results were used to summarize the examinations, diagnostic criteria, and treatment progress of PCD patients. Additionally, the author conducted another search using keywords such as “Venous thromboembolism” and “Anticoagulant drugs” to summarize research progress in anticoagulant drugs and the treatment of VTE. The search was limited to relevant. Outcome: Six months prior to admission, the patient, a 68-year-old female, developed sunken edema and cyanosis in both her lower extremities and was diagnosed with lower extremity deep vein thrombosis complicated by PCD, lower extremity ischemic necrosis, and septicemia. This diagnosis was made using a combination of CT and lower extremity vascular ultrasound-related examinations, as well as a significantly elevated D-dimer value. Despite active treatment and aggressive measures, such as anti-infection, organ function maintenance, anticoagulation, and improvement of microcirculatory disorders, the patient’s family declined corresponding surgical treatment and interventional surgery for the lower extremity due to objective factors, and the patient ultimately succumbed to her illness. The clinical characteristics of this patient were similar to those of the 14 cases of PCD reported by Xie Fei et al. in 2022. Conclusion: For patients with malignancy, it is crucial to start anticoagulation and physical prevention of DVT early on. Patients with DVT complicated by PCD have a variety of surgical options available to them, including surgical embolization or PMT (percutaneous mechanical thrombus ablation), CDT (catheter contact thrombolysis), and fascial ventriculotomy decompression [1]. Additionally, it may be necessary to place an inferior venous filter. Although the incidence of this disease is low accounting for approximately 5% of all patients with iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis [2], the prognosis is poor, as the mortality rate can reach up to 40% - 60% due to venous gangrene, with an overall mortality rate of 20% - 40% [3]. To increase the survival rate, it is important to diagnose and treat this disease as early as possible.展开更多
Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs),as one of the most promising candidates for efficient energy storage devices with high energy,power density and high safety,have attracted increasing attention.However,searching ...Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs),as one of the most promising candidates for efficient energy storage devices with high energy,power density and high safety,have attracted increasing attention.However,searching for suitable cathode materials with fast diffusion kinetics and exploring their magnesium storage mechanisms remains a great challenge.Cu S submicron spheres,made by a facile low-temperature synthesis strategy,were applied as the high-performance cathode for RMBs in this work,which can deliver a high specific capacity of 396mAh g^(-1)at 20 mA g^(-1) and a remarkable rate capacity of 250 m Ah g^(-1)at 1000 mA g^(-1).The excellent rate performance can be assigned to the nano needle-like particles on the surface of Cu S submicron spheres,which can facilitate the diffusion kinetics of Mg^(2+).Further storage mechanism investigations illustrate that the Cu S cathodes experience a two-step conversion reaction controlled by diffusion during the electrochemical reaction process.This work could make a contribution to the study of the enhancement of diffusion kinetics of Mg2+and the reaction mechanism of RMBs.展开更多
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCo V-2)infection can result in more severe syndromes and poorer outcomes in patients with diabetes and obesity.However,the precise mechanisms responsible for the com...Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCo V-2)infection can result in more severe syndromes and poorer outcomes in patients with diabetes and obesity.However,the precise mechanisms responsible for the combined impact of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)and diabetes have not yet been elucidated,and effective treatment options for SARS-Co V-2-infected diabetic patients remain limited.To investigate the disease pathogenesis,K18-h ACE2 transgenic(h ACE2^(Tg))mice with a leptin receptor deficiency(h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-))and high-fat diet(h ACE2-HFD)background were generated.The two mouse models were intranasally infected with a 5×10^(5) median tissue culture infectious dose(TCID_(50))of SARSCo V-2,with serum and lung tissue samples collected at 3days post-infection.The h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-)mice were then administered a combination of low-molecular-weight heparin(LMWH)(1 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg)and insulin via subcutaneous injection prior to intranasal infection with1×10^(4) TCID_(50)of SARS-Co V-2.Daily drug administration continued until the euthanasia of the mice.Analyses of viral RNA loads,histopathological changes in lung tissue,and inflammation factors were conducted.Results demonstrated similar SARS-Co V-2 susceptibility in h ACE2^(Tg)mice under both lean(chow diet)and obese(HFD)conditions.However,compared to the h ACE2-Lepr^(+/+)mice,h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-)mice exhibited more severe lung injury,enhanced expression of inflammatory cytokines and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α),and increased apoptosis.Moreover,combined LMWH and insulin treatment effectively reduced disease progression and severity,attenuated lung pathological changes,and mitigated inflammatory responses.In conclusion,preexisting diabetes can lead to more severe lung damage upon SARS-Co V-2 infection,and LMWH may be a valuable therapeutic approach for managing COVID-19patients with diabetes.展开更多
High-voltage pulse discharge(HVPD)rock fragmentation controls a plasma channel forming inside the rock by adjusting the electrical parameters,electrode type,etc.In this work,an HVPD rock fragmentation test platform wa...High-voltage pulse discharge(HVPD)rock fragmentation controls a plasma channel forming inside the rock by adjusting the electrical parameters,electrode type,etc.In this work,an HVPD rock fragmentation test platform was built and the test waveforms were measured.Considering the effects of temperature,channel expansion and electromagnetic radiation,the impedance model of the plasma channel in the rock was established.The parameters and initial values of the model were determined by an iterative computational process.The model calculation results can reasonably characterize the development of the plasma channel in the rock and estimate the shock wave characteristics.Based on the plasma channel impedance model,the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of the radial stress and tangential stress in the rock were calculated,and the rock fragmentation effect of the HVPD was analyzed.展开更多
Background:As one of the most utilized commercial composite boar lines,Duroc pigs have been introduced to China and undergone strongly human-induced selection over the past decades.However,the efficiencies and limitat...Background:As one of the most utilized commercial composite boar lines,Duroc pigs have been introduced to China and undergone strongly human-induced selection over the past decades.However,the efficiencies and limitations of previous breeding of Chinese Duroc pigs are largely understudied.The objective of this study was to uncover directional polygenic selection in the Duroc pig genome,and investigate points overlooked in the past breeding process.Results:Here,we utilized the Generation Proxy Selection Mapping(GPSM)on a dataset of 1067 Duroc pigs with 8,766,074 imputed SNPs.GPSM detected a total of 5649 putative SNPs actively under selection in the Chinese Duroc pig population,and the potential functions of the selection regions were mainly related to production,meat and carcass traits.Meanwhile,we observed that the allele frequency of variants related to teat number(NT)relevant traits was also changed,which might be influenced by genes that had pleiotropic effects.First,we identified the direction of selection on NT traits by G,and further pinpointed large-effect genomic regions associated with NT relevant traits by selection signature and GWAS.Combining results of NT relevant traits-specific selection signatures and GWAS,we found three common genome regions,which were overlapped with QTLs related to production,meat and carcass traits besides“teat number”QTLs.This implied that there were some pleiotropic variants underlying NT and economic traits.We further found that rs346331089 has pleiotropic effects on NT and economic traits,e.g.,litter size at weaning(LSW),litter weight at weaning(LWW),days to 100 kg(D100),backfat thickness at 100 kg(B100),and loin muscle area at 100 kg(L100)traits.Conclusions:The selected loci that we identified across methods displayed the past breeding process of Chinese Duroc pigs,and our findings could be used to inform future breeding decision.展开更多
Quasi-2D perovskites have attracted tremendous interest for application as lightemission layers in light-emitting diodes(LEDs).However,the heterogeneous n phase and non-uniform distribution still severely limit the fu...Quasi-2D perovskites have attracted tremendous interest for application as lightemission layers in light-emitting diodes(LEDs).However,the heterogeneous n phase and non-uniform distribution still severely limit the further development of quasi-2D perovskite LEDs(Pero-LEDs).Meanwhile,the increased defect density caused by the reduced dimension and grain size induces non-radiative recombination and further deteriorates the device performance.Here,we found that a series of molecules containing phosphoryl chloride functional groups have noticeable enhancement effects on the device performance of quasi-2D Pero-LEDs.Then,we studied the modification mechanism by focusing on the bis(2-oxo-3-oxazolidinyl)phosphinic chloride(BOPCl).It is concluded that the BOPCl can not only regulate the phase distribution by decreasing the crystallization rate but also remain in the grain boundaries and passivate the defects.As a result,the corresponding quasi-2D Pero-LEDs obtained a maximum external quantum efficiency(EQE_(max))of 20.82%and an average EQE(EQE_(ave))of around 20%on the optimal 50 devices,proving excellent reproducibility.Our work provides a new selection of molecular types for regulating the crystallization and passivating the defects of quasi-2D perovskite films.展开更多
Dear Editor,Multiple experiments have established TNF-α-induced protein 3 (A20/TNFAIP3) as a critical regulator associated with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)[1,2].The lack of TNF-α-induced protein 3 (A20) promotes the NO...Dear Editor,Multiple experiments have established TNF-α-induced protein 3 (A20/TNFAIP3) as a critical regulator associated with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)[1,2].The lack of TNF-α-induced protein 3 (A20) promotes the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and induces spontaneous arthritis,while increase of A20 reduces the secretion of IL-1β and favors immunological tolerance[3,4]. Hence, we investigate the feasibility of recombinant adeno-associated virus 6 (rAAV6)-mediated A20 gene therapy in a collageninduced arthritis (CIA) model.展开更多
Background Breed identification is useful in a variety of biological contexts.Breed identification usually involves two stages,i.e.,detection of breed-informative SNPs and breed assignment.For both stages,there are se...Background Breed identification is useful in a variety of biological contexts.Breed identification usually involves two stages,i.e.,detection of breed-informative SNPs and breed assignment.For both stages,there are several methods proposed.However,what is the optimal combination of these methods remain unclear.In this study,using the whole genome sequence data available for 13 cattle breeds from Run 8 of the 1,000 Bull Genomes Project,we compared the combinations of three methods(Delta,FST,and In)for breed-informative SNP detection and five machine learning methods(KNN,SVM,RF,NB,and ANN)for breed assignment with respect to different reference population sizes and difference numbers of most breed-informative SNPs.In addition,we evaluated the accuracy of breed identification using SNP chip data of different densities.Results We found that all combinations performed quite well with identification accuracies over 95%in all scenarios.However,there was no combination which performed the best and robust across all scenarios.We proposed to inte-grate the three breed-informative detection methods,named DFI,and integrate the three machine learning methods,KNN,SVM,and RF,named KSR.We found that the combination of these two integrated methods outperformed the other combinations with accuracies over 99%in most cases and was very robust in all scenarios.The accuracies from using SNP chip data were only slightly lower than that from using sequence data in most cases.Conclusions The current study showed that the combination of DFI and KSR was the optimal strategy.Using sequence data resulted in higher accuracies than using chip data in most cases.However,the differences were gener-ally small.In view of the cost of genotyping,using chip data is also a good option for breed identification.展开更多
Urbanization brings new selection pressures to wildlife living in cities,and changes in the life-history traits of urban species can reflect their responses to such pressures.To date,most of the studies investigating ...Urbanization brings new selection pressures to wildlife living in cities,and changes in the life-history traits of urban species can reflect their responses to such pressures.To date,most of the studies investigating the impacts of urbanization on avian life-history traits are conducted in Europe and North America,while such studies are often lacking in quickly developing countries in Asia(e.g.,China).In this study,we examined the variations in reproductive life-history traits of Chinese Bulbuls(Pycnonotus sinensis)along the urbanization gradient in Hangzhou,China.We detected 234 natural nests of Chinese Bulbuls and continuously monitored them in two continuous breeding seasons from 2012 to 2013.We collected data on seven life-history traits(laying date,incubation period,nestling period,clutch size,egg volume,hatching success rate,and fledging success rate).We used infrared cameras to record the number of feedings per hour as the measure of food resources for the nestlings.We measured nest predation pressure by monitoring 148 natural breeding nests during breeding seasons and 54 artificial nests immediately after breeding seasons.We then calculated the urbanization synthetic index(USI)as a measure of the level of urbanization and examined its relationship with the seven life-history traits.We found that Chinese Bulbuls laid eggs significantly earlier with increasing USI.However,the other six life-history traits did not vary significantly with the USI.Moreover,the feeding frequency of chicks increased significantly with the USI,but the nest predation pressure of Chinese Bulbuls decreased significantly with the USI.Increased food resources and reduced nest predation pressure in cities may lead to earlier laying date of Chinese Bulbuls.Further study should test whether the earlier laying date of Chinese Bulbuls is the result of phenotypic plasticity or genetic change.展开更多
文摘Peking Union Medical College(PUMC)launched the"4+4"Medical Doctor(MD)pilot program in 2018,admitting students with non-medical backgrounds from top universities,aligning with national medical talent training policies to foster diverse and eager learners in medicine.On the occasion of the graduation of the first class of the"4+4"MD pilot class at PUMC in 2023,we reviewed the teaching reform in the pilot program and carried out a systematic survey and interviews with students,faculties,and management staff of the pilot class.This article reports on the measures taken by the pilot class at PUMC in enrollment and curriculum setting,and demonstrates the achievements of the pilot class in terms of student academic background structure,knowledge acquisition and skill learning,scientific research ability,and course evaluation.The results indicated that the pilot class had met the national demand for the"Medicine+X"talent training model.More specifically,with a diverse academic backgrounds,the pilot class graduates had academic levels comparable to the eight-year medical education graduates,and their scientific research abilities were satisfactory.The pilot program at PUMC will optimize the curriculum setting,strengthen the construction of faculty,learning resources,and teaching facilities,and reform the academic evaluation methods,thus deepening the reform of medical education and improving the"4+4"MD program as a novel medical education model.
文摘BACKGROUND We report a rare case of cervical spinal canal penetrating trauma and review the relevant literatures.CASE SUMMARY A 58-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department with a steel bar penetrating the neck,without signs of neurological deficit.Computed tomography(CT)demonstrated that the steel bar had penetrated the cervical spinal canal at the C6–7 level,causing C6 and C7 vertebral body fracture,C6 left lamina fracture,left facet joint fracture,and penetration of the cervical spinal cord.The steel bar was successfully removed through an open surgical procedure by a multidisciplinary team.During the surgery,we found that the cervical vertebra,cervical spinal canal and cervical spinal cord were all severely injured.Postoperative CT demonstrated severe penetration of the cervical spinal canal but the patient returned to a fully functional level without any neurological deficits.CONCLUSION Even with a serious cervical spinal canal penetrating trauma,the patient could resume normal work and life after appropriate treatment.
基金Supported by The 2024 Guizhou Provincial Health Commission Science and Technology Fund Project,No.gzwkj2024-47502022 Provincial Clinical Key Specialty Construction Project。
文摘BACKGROUND Adolescent major depressive disorder(MDD)is a significant mental health concern that often leads to recurrent depression in adulthood.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)offers unique insights into the neural mechanisms underlying this condition.However,despite previous research,the specific vulnerable brain regions affected in adolescent MDD patients have not been fully elucidated.AIM To identify consistent vulnerable brain regions in adolescent MDD patients using rs-fMRI and activation likelihood estimation(ALE)meta-analysis.METHODS We performed a comprehensive literature search through July 12,2023,for studies investigating brain functional changes in adolescent MDD patients.We utilized regional homogeneity(ReHo),amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations(ALFF)and fractional ALFF(fALFF)analyses.We compared the regions of aberrant spontaneous neural activity in adolescents with MDD vs healthy controls(HCs)using ALE.RESULTS Ten studies(369 adolescent MDD patients and 313 HCs)were included.Combining the ReHo and ALFF/fALFF data,the results revealed that the activity in the right cuneus and left precuneus was lower in the adolescent MDD patients than in the HCs(voxel size:648 mm3,P<0.05),and no brain region exhibited increased activity.Based on the ALFF data,we found decreased activity in the right cuneus and left precuneus in adolescent MDD patients(voxel size:736 mm3,P<0.05),with no regions exhibiting increased activity.CONCLUSION Through ALE meta-analysis,we consistently identified the right cuneus and left precuneus as vulnerable brain regions in adolescent MDD patients,increasing our understanding of the neuropathology of affected adolescents.
文摘BACKGROUND Sleep deprivation is a prevalent issue that impacts cognitive function.Although numerous neuroimaging studies have explored the neural correlates of sleep loss,inconsistencies persist in the reported results,necessitating an investigation into the consistent brain functional changes resulting from sleep loss.AIM To establish the consistency of brain functional alterations associated with sleep deprivation through systematic searches of neuroimaging databases.Two metaanalytic methods,signed differential mapping(SDM)and activation likelihood estimation(ALE),were employed to analyze functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)data.METHODS A systematic search performed according to PRISMA guidelines was conducted across multiple databases through July 29,2023.Studies that met specific inclusion criteria,focused on healthy subjects with acute sleep deprivation and reported whole-brain functional data in English were considered.A total of 21 studies were selected for SDM and ALE meta-analyses.RESULTS Twenty-one studies,including 23 experiments and 498 subjects,were included.Compared to pre-sleep deprivation,post-sleep deprivation brain function was associated with increased gray matter in the right corpus callosum and decreased activity in the left medial frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule.SDM revealed increased brain functional activity in the left striatum and right central posterior gyrus and decreased activity in the right cerebellar gyrus,left middle frontal gyrus,corpus callosum,and right cuneus.CONCLUSION This meta-analysis consistently identified brain regions affected by sleep deprivation,notably the left medial frontal gyrus and corpus callosum,shedding light on the neuropathology of sleep deprivation and offering insights into its neurological impact.
基金Authors of this research are in deep gratitude toward Professor Qin Wang from the Nanchang Research Institute,Sun Yat-sen University for her dedicated guidance and support to this work.This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFC3500302)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2017YFC1703104)+1 种基金the Key Laboratory Project of Pharmaceutical Lipids in Guangdong Province(No.2020B1212070024)the Guangdong Province Key Areas R&D Program Project(No.2020B1111120002).
文摘Purpose:This study aims to investigate whether Ganoderma lucidum spore oil(GLSO)could enhance the effect of paclitaxel(PTX),improve the tolerance to PTX and prolong the overall survival of Lewis tumor-bearing mice,which has never been reported before.Methods:The tumor,spleen,and thymus were weighed at the end of the experiment.Whole blood was collected for hematological index analysis,and the intact femur was removed to determine the bone marrow nucleated cell count(BMN).The percentage of lymphocytes in the spleen of mice was detected by flow cytometry,the activity of NK cells was detected by LDH assay,and the proliferation index of lymphocytes was determined by CCK-8 assay.The overall and mean survival time and life extension rate were calculated using SPSS software.Results:Our data showed that GLSO could enhance the anti-tumor effect of PTX and prolong the survival of mice.The underlying mechanisms of the above effects might be related to the toxic reduction effect of GLSO by relieving hematotoxicity,myelosuppression and immunosuppression.Specifically,GLSO could increase the number of blood cells and bone marrow cells,alleviate the thymic index,and elevate the number and activity of NK cells in mice treated with PTX.Conclusion:GLSO may enhance the efficacy of PTX by boosting the activity of immune NK cells and prolong survival by counteracting PTX-induced bone marrow alterations and improving hematopoiesis.These findings suggested the promising role of GLSO in combination with PTX to extend the survival and increase the tolerance of patients in clinical chemotherapy of lung cancer.
基金the funding from Start-up Fundings of Ocean University of China(862401013154 and 862401013155)Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center(LMDBCXRC202401 and LMDBCXRC202402)+1 种基金Taishan Scholar Youth Expert Program of Shandong Province(tsqn202306102 and tsqn202312105)Shandong Provincial Overseas Excellent Young Scholar Program(2024HWYQ-042 and 2024HWYQ-043)for supporting this work.
文摘Cellular mechanotransduction characterized by the transformation of mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals,represents a pivotal and complex process underpinning a multitude of cellular functionalities.This process is integral to diverse biological phenomena,including embryonic development,cell migration,tissue regeneration,and disease pathology,particularly in the context of cancer metastasis and cardiovascular diseases.Despite the profound biological and clinical significance of mechanotransduction,our understanding of this complex process remains incomplete.The recent development of advanced optical techniques enables in-situ force measurement and subcellular manipulation from the outer cell membrane to the organelles inside a cell.In this review,we delved into the current state-of-the-art techniques utilized to probe cellular mechanobiology,their principles,applications,and limitations.We mainly examined optical methodologies to quantitatively measure the mechanical properties of cells during intracellular transport,cell adhesion,and migration.We provided an introductory overview of various conventional and optical-based techniques for probing cellular mechanics.These techniques have provided into the dynamics of mechanobiology,their potential to unravel mechanistic intricacies and implications for therapeutic intervention.
文摘In this study, concentrations of tritiated water(HTO) and non-exchangeable organically bound tritium(NE-OBT) and the NE-OBT/HTO ratios were determined in soil around Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant(NPP), Zhejiang, China, and their vertical profile and spatial distribution were investigated. Results showed variations in both the HTO and NE-OBT concentrations in the vertical profile. The HTO concentrations generally decreased firstly and then increased with the increasing depths, but the trend was not significant. The NE-OBT concentrations in the surface soils(0–5 cm) were considerably lower than those in the deep soils(5–25 cm) at all the sites. The NE-OBT/HTO ratios also show a variable vertical profile, initially increasing and then decreasing with increasing soil depth.Both the HTO and NE-OBT concentrations decreased with the increasing distance to the HWRs in deep soil layers(5–25 cm), revealing that the released tritium from the NPP affected the spatial distribution.
基金This study was supported by the General Project of Beijing Natural Science Foundation(No.7172101)the Beijing Municipal Hospital Research and Cultivation Project(No.PZ2017015)the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Gospital-Level Project(No.YJ-201807).
文摘Background:The study was conducted with the interest of exploring the effects of Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill as anti-inflammatory agent in gout treatment based on the NLRP3/GSDMD coke death pathway.Methods:In this study,48 male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups,namely model group,blank control group(BC),Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill low-dose treatment group(MSD1),medium-dose treatment group(MSD2),high-dose treatment group(MSD3),and colchicine group(PC),with eight members in each group.The BC and model groups were administered with saline twice a day.The MSD1,MSD2,and MSD3 groups were administered with Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill at a dose of 1.8 g·kg^?1,3.6 g·kg^?1,and 7.2 g·kg^?1 twice a day.The colchicine group was administered with a colchicine suspension at a dose of 0.6×10^?3 g kg^?1 twice a day for 7 days.After gavage of animals in each group for 4 days,the rats'ankle joints were injected with sodium urate suspension×3 days to induce a gouty arthritis model.Then,serum and tissue samples were collected on the third and seventh day after gavage.The synovial tissue from the rat ankle joints was taken,and immunohistochemical technique was used to detect NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),inflammatory bodies,cysteine protease-1(Caspase-1),and Gasdermin-D protein(GSDMD)expression.Image-Pro Plus image analysis system was used to measure the average integrated absorbance and calculate IHS.Integral enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the interleukin 1β(IL-1β)and interleukin 18(IL-18)expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α).Western blot was used to detect NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC)expression levels.Results:After 48 hours of modeling,compared with the PC group,the arthritis indices of the MSD1,MSD2,and MSD3 groups were insignificant(P>0.05).The levels of IL-1β,IL-18,and TNF-αwere lower in the PC and MSD2 groups compared with the BC group.However,compared with the control group,MSD1,MSD2,and PC groups had lower levels of IL-1βand IL-18.Regarding TNF-αlevels(P<0.05);compared with the PC group,the levels of IL-1β,IL-18,and TNF-αin MSD2 decreased more significantly(P<0.05).The levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC,IHS score,and mRNA were lower in the PC and MSD2 groups(P<0.05)compared with the control group.The MSD1 and MSD2 groups had lower levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC protein levels,IHS points,and mRNA levels(P<0.05)compared with the PC group.Moreover,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,ASC protein levels,IHS points,and mRNA levels were more reduced in the MSD2 group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Qingre Yangyin Chushi pill can inhibit the activation of the NLPR3 inflammatory complex,reduce the production of GSDMD protein,regulate the occurrence of pyroptosis,reduce the expression of inflammatory factors,and thus reduce arthritis.All these processes are achieved through the NLRP3/GSDMD pathway.
文摘Goal: The purpose of this research is to analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of critical care patients with phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) caused by deep vein thrombosis. Our goal is to improve both awareness and early diagnosis and treatment of rare clinical diseases. Furthermore, we aim to examine advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis. Method: The clinical information of patients with PCD received in 2022 was subject to retrospective analysis. The author conducted a search of 191 publications with a focus on PCD, from January 2010 to July 2022, from databases such as the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, PubMed, etc. The results were used to summarize the examinations, diagnostic criteria, and treatment progress of PCD patients. Additionally, the author conducted another search using keywords such as “Venous thromboembolism” and “Anticoagulant drugs” to summarize research progress in anticoagulant drugs and the treatment of VTE. The search was limited to relevant. Outcome: Six months prior to admission, the patient, a 68-year-old female, developed sunken edema and cyanosis in both her lower extremities and was diagnosed with lower extremity deep vein thrombosis complicated by PCD, lower extremity ischemic necrosis, and septicemia. This diagnosis was made using a combination of CT and lower extremity vascular ultrasound-related examinations, as well as a significantly elevated D-dimer value. Despite active treatment and aggressive measures, such as anti-infection, organ function maintenance, anticoagulation, and improvement of microcirculatory disorders, the patient’s family declined corresponding surgical treatment and interventional surgery for the lower extremity due to objective factors, and the patient ultimately succumbed to her illness. The clinical characteristics of this patient were similar to those of the 14 cases of PCD reported by Xie Fei et al. in 2022. Conclusion: For patients with malignancy, it is crucial to start anticoagulation and physical prevention of DVT early on. Patients with DVT complicated by PCD have a variety of surgical options available to them, including surgical embolization or PMT (percutaneous mechanical thrombus ablation), CDT (catheter contact thrombolysis), and fascial ventriculotomy decompression [1]. Additionally, it may be necessary to place an inferior venous filter. Although the incidence of this disease is low accounting for approximately 5% of all patients with iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis [2], the prognosis is poor, as the mortality rate can reach up to 40% - 60% due to venous gangrene, with an overall mortality rate of 20% - 40% [3]. To increase the survival rate, it is important to diagnose and treat this disease as early as possible.
基金the support from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of Chongqing University(No.2020CDCGCL005)。
文摘Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs),as one of the most promising candidates for efficient energy storage devices with high energy,power density and high safety,have attracted increasing attention.However,searching for suitable cathode materials with fast diffusion kinetics and exploring their magnesium storage mechanisms remains a great challenge.Cu S submicron spheres,made by a facile low-temperature synthesis strategy,were applied as the high-performance cathode for RMBs in this work,which can deliver a high specific capacity of 396mAh g^(-1)at 20 mA g^(-1) and a remarkable rate capacity of 250 m Ah g^(-1)at 1000 mA g^(-1).The excellent rate performance can be assigned to the nano needle-like particles on the surface of Cu S submicron spheres,which can facilitate the diffusion kinetics of Mg^(2+).Further storage mechanism investigations illustrate that the Cu S cathodes experience a two-step conversion reaction controlled by diffusion during the electrochemical reaction process.This work could make a contribution to the study of the enhancement of diffusion kinetics of Mg2+and the reaction mechanism of RMBs.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (XDB29010102)National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (91957124,82161148010,32041010)+4 种基金Self-supporting Program of Guangzhou Laboratory (SRPG22-001)National Science and Technology Infrastructure of China (National Pathogen Resource Center-NPRC-32)Management Strategy of the Tertiary Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Based on DIP system (supported by China Health Promotion Foundation)supported by the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS (Y2021034)Innovation Team and Talents Cultivation Program of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ZYYCXTD-D-202208)。
文摘Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCo V-2)infection can result in more severe syndromes and poorer outcomes in patients with diabetes and obesity.However,the precise mechanisms responsible for the combined impact of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)and diabetes have not yet been elucidated,and effective treatment options for SARS-Co V-2-infected diabetic patients remain limited.To investigate the disease pathogenesis,K18-h ACE2 transgenic(h ACE2^(Tg))mice with a leptin receptor deficiency(h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-))and high-fat diet(h ACE2-HFD)background were generated.The two mouse models were intranasally infected with a 5×10^(5) median tissue culture infectious dose(TCID_(50))of SARSCo V-2,with serum and lung tissue samples collected at 3days post-infection.The h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-)mice were then administered a combination of low-molecular-weight heparin(LMWH)(1 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg)and insulin via subcutaneous injection prior to intranasal infection with1×10^(4) TCID_(50)of SARS-Co V-2.Daily drug administration continued until the euthanasia of the mice.Analyses of viral RNA loads,histopathological changes in lung tissue,and inflammation factors were conducted.Results demonstrated similar SARS-Co V-2 susceptibility in h ACE2^(Tg)mice under both lean(chow diet)and obese(HFD)conditions.However,compared to the h ACE2-Lepr^(+/+)mice,h ACE2-Lepr^(-/-)mice exhibited more severe lung injury,enhanced expression of inflammatory cytokines and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α),and increased apoptosis.Moreover,combined LMWH and insulin treatment effectively reduced disease progression and severity,attenuated lung pathological changes,and mitigated inflammatory responses.In conclusion,preexisting diabetes can lead to more severe lung damage upon SARS-Co V-2 infection,and LMWH may be a valuable therapeutic approach for managing COVID-19patients with diabetes.
基金support of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52177144)。
文摘High-voltage pulse discharge(HVPD)rock fragmentation controls a plasma channel forming inside the rock by adjusting the electrical parameters,electrode type,etc.In this work,an HVPD rock fragmentation test platform was built and the test waveforms were measured.Considering the effects of temperature,channel expansion and electromagnetic radiation,the impedance model of the plasma channel in the rock was established.The parameters and initial values of the model were determined by an iterative computational process.The model calculation results can reasonably characterize the development of the plasma channel in the rock and estimate the shock wave characteristics.Based on the plasma channel impedance model,the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of the radial stress and tangential stress in the rock were calculated,and the rock fragmentation effect of the HVPD was analyzed.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32022078)China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA
文摘Background:As one of the most utilized commercial composite boar lines,Duroc pigs have been introduced to China and undergone strongly human-induced selection over the past decades.However,the efficiencies and limitations of previous breeding of Chinese Duroc pigs are largely understudied.The objective of this study was to uncover directional polygenic selection in the Duroc pig genome,and investigate points overlooked in the past breeding process.Results:Here,we utilized the Generation Proxy Selection Mapping(GPSM)on a dataset of 1067 Duroc pigs with 8,766,074 imputed SNPs.GPSM detected a total of 5649 putative SNPs actively under selection in the Chinese Duroc pig population,and the potential functions of the selection regions were mainly related to production,meat and carcass traits.Meanwhile,we observed that the allele frequency of variants related to teat number(NT)relevant traits was also changed,which might be influenced by genes that had pleiotropic effects.First,we identified the direction of selection on NT traits by G,and further pinpointed large-effect genomic regions associated with NT relevant traits by selection signature and GWAS.Combining results of NT relevant traits-specific selection signatures and GWAS,we found three common genome regions,which were overlapped with QTLs related to production,meat and carcass traits besides“teat number”QTLs.This implied that there were some pleiotropic variants underlying NT and economic traits.We further found that rs346331089 has pleiotropic effects on NT and economic traits,e.g.,litter size at weaning(LSW),litter weight at weaning(LWW),days to 100 kg(D100),backfat thickness at 100 kg(B100),and loin muscle area at 100 kg(L100)traits.Conclusions:The selected loci that we identified across methods displayed the past breeding process of Chinese Duroc pigs,and our findings could be used to inform future breeding decision.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U21A2078)Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(2020J06021,2019J01057,and 2020J01064)Scientific Research Funds of Huaqiao University.
文摘Quasi-2D perovskites have attracted tremendous interest for application as lightemission layers in light-emitting diodes(LEDs).However,the heterogeneous n phase and non-uniform distribution still severely limit the further development of quasi-2D perovskite LEDs(Pero-LEDs).Meanwhile,the increased defect density caused by the reduced dimension and grain size induces non-radiative recombination and further deteriorates the device performance.Here,we found that a series of molecules containing phosphoryl chloride functional groups have noticeable enhancement effects on the device performance of quasi-2D Pero-LEDs.Then,we studied the modification mechanism by focusing on the bis(2-oxo-3-oxazolidinyl)phosphinic chloride(BOPCl).It is concluded that the BOPCl can not only regulate the phase distribution by decreasing the crystallization rate but also remain in the grain boundaries and passivate the defects.As a result,the corresponding quasi-2D Pero-LEDs obtained a maximum external quantum efficiency(EQE_(max))of 20.82%and an average EQE(EQE_(ave))of around 20%on the optimal 50 devices,proving excellent reproducibility.Our work provides a new selection of molecular types for regulating the crystallization and passivating the defects of quasi-2D perovskite films.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81871789, 82172387)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20180052)the Gusu Health Talents Program (GSWS2020023)。
文摘Dear Editor,Multiple experiments have established TNF-α-induced protein 3 (A20/TNFAIP3) as a critical regulator associated with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)[1,2].The lack of TNF-α-induced protein 3 (A20) promotes the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and induces spontaneous arthritis,while increase of A20 reduces the secretion of IL-1β and favors immunological tolerance[3,4]. Hence, we investigate the feasibility of recombinant adeno-associated virus 6 (rAAV6)-mediated A20 gene therapy in a collageninduced arthritis (CIA) model.
基金funded by National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFD1200404)the Yangzhou University Interdisciplinary Research Foundation for Animal Science Discipline of Targeted Support(yzuxk202016)the Project of Genetic Improvement for Agricultural Species(Dairy Cattle)of Shandong Province(2019LZGC011).
文摘Background Breed identification is useful in a variety of biological contexts.Breed identification usually involves two stages,i.e.,detection of breed-informative SNPs and breed assignment.For both stages,there are several methods proposed.However,what is the optimal combination of these methods remain unclear.In this study,using the whole genome sequence data available for 13 cattle breeds from Run 8 of the 1,000 Bull Genomes Project,we compared the combinations of three methods(Delta,FST,and In)for breed-informative SNP detection and five machine learning methods(KNN,SVM,RF,NB,and ANN)for breed assignment with respect to different reference population sizes and difference numbers of most breed-informative SNPs.In addition,we evaluated the accuracy of breed identification using SNP chip data of different densities.Results We found that all combinations performed quite well with identification accuracies over 95%in all scenarios.However,there was no combination which performed the best and robust across all scenarios.We proposed to inte-grate the three breed-informative detection methods,named DFI,and integrate the three machine learning methods,KNN,SVM,and RF,named KSR.We found that the combination of these two integrated methods outperformed the other combinations with accuracies over 99%in most cases and was very robust in all scenarios.The accuracies from using SNP chip data were only slightly lower than that from using sequence data in most cases.Conclusions The current study showed that the combination of DFI and KSR was the optimal strategy.Using sequence data resulted in higher accuracies than using chip data in most cases.However,the differences were gener-ally small.In view of the cost of genotyping,using chip data is also a good option for breed identification.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271743,31971545,31071908)。
文摘Urbanization brings new selection pressures to wildlife living in cities,and changes in the life-history traits of urban species can reflect their responses to such pressures.To date,most of the studies investigating the impacts of urbanization on avian life-history traits are conducted in Europe and North America,while such studies are often lacking in quickly developing countries in Asia(e.g.,China).In this study,we examined the variations in reproductive life-history traits of Chinese Bulbuls(Pycnonotus sinensis)along the urbanization gradient in Hangzhou,China.We detected 234 natural nests of Chinese Bulbuls and continuously monitored them in two continuous breeding seasons from 2012 to 2013.We collected data on seven life-history traits(laying date,incubation period,nestling period,clutch size,egg volume,hatching success rate,and fledging success rate).We used infrared cameras to record the number of feedings per hour as the measure of food resources for the nestlings.We measured nest predation pressure by monitoring 148 natural breeding nests during breeding seasons and 54 artificial nests immediately after breeding seasons.We then calculated the urbanization synthetic index(USI)as a measure of the level of urbanization and examined its relationship with the seven life-history traits.We found that Chinese Bulbuls laid eggs significantly earlier with increasing USI.However,the other six life-history traits did not vary significantly with the USI.Moreover,the feeding frequency of chicks increased significantly with the USI,but the nest predation pressure of Chinese Bulbuls decreased significantly with the USI.Increased food resources and reduced nest predation pressure in cities may lead to earlier laying date of Chinese Bulbuls.Further study should test whether the earlier laying date of Chinese Bulbuls is the result of phenotypic plasticity or genetic change.